Page 22 - Florida Sentinel 10-12-18

Health
Even some genuinely good-for-you foods and beverages can interfere with your fitness goals, if you eat them before you get moving.
High Fiber Vegetables
Your body needs fiber, but not before a workout. Vegeta- bles like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or cauliflower can be hard to digest and could make exercising uncomfortable. Stick with veggies that are eas- ier on your system, like well- cooked asparagus or potatoes.
Yogurt
As with protein bars, you’ll need to read the label carefully. Certain brands can be surpris- ingly high in sugar and fat, nei- ther of which is good for your workout. And if you don’t digest dairy easily, a stop at the gym can make things worse.
Flax Seed
This seed has all sorts of po- tential health benefits -- some people use it to try to ease con- stipation or lower their choles- terol level. But it’s high in fiber and fatty acids, which aren’t what you want before a work- out. So when adding it to your diet, pay attention to when you have it.
Granola or Protein Bars
These might seem like a good idea before you hit the gym, but there’s no clear defini- tion of what they really are. Check the labels -- both kinds can have lots of sugar. If they do, your body will burn through that fast, and you may not get much else.
Energy Drinks
Like smoothies, these might seem like a natural pre-workout boost, but they have lots of things that can make you jittery and raise your heart rate and blood pressure. It’s better to steer clear of energy drinks until after your workout.
Soda
This can give you the "daily double" of sugar and caffeine. You’ll get a quickly disappearing rush of energy and lots of calo- ries, along with all the issues caffeine can cause. It doesn’t give you any nutritional value and isn’t a good choice for hy- dration.
Fast Food
It might be tempting, but skip the drive-through on the way to the gym. Chances are, you’ll feel uncomfortably full, and the fat and sugar in most fast food items will keep you from getting the most out of your workout.
High Fat Foods
Not all fats are bad for you. But foods that have a lot of any fat can be a bad idea if you’re about to be active. Things like red meat make your body work hard to change their fat to en- ergy. That can make you tired before you even get started.
Smoothies
These sound great in theory as a way to hydrate and get nu- trients at the same time. But in practice, they can be less than ideal. Some are packed with sugar and will give you only a short burst of energy before the dreaded “crash.” And depend- ing on what’s in it, a single smoothie can have as many as 800 calories.
PAGE 10-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2018